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Selected Verse: Hebrews 5:11 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Heb 5:11	King James	Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Here he digresses to complain of the low spiritual attainments of the Palestinian Christians and to warn them of the danger of falling from light once enjoyed; at the same time encouraging them by God's faithfulness to persevere. At Heb 6:20 he resumes the comparison of Christ to Melchisedec. hard to be uttered--rather as Greek, "hard of interpretation to speak." Hard for me to state intelligibly to you owing to your dulness about spiritual things. Hence, instead of saying many things, he writes in comparatively few words (Heb 13:22). In the "we," Paul, as usual, includes Timothy with himself in addressing them. ye are--Greek, "ye have become dull" (the Greek, by derivation, means hard to move): this implies that once, when first "enlightened," they were earnest and zealous, but had become dull. That the Hebrew believers AT JERUSALEM were dull in spiritual things, and legal in spirit, appears from Act 21:20-24, where James and the elders expressly say of the "thousands of Jews which believe," that "they are all zealous of the law"; this was at Paul's last visit to Jerusalem, after which this Epistle seems to have been written (see on Heb 5:12, on "for the time").

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Here he digresses to complain of the low spiritual attainments of the Palestinian Christians and to warn them of the danger of falling from light once enjoyed; at the same time encouraging them by God's faithfulness to persevere. At Heb 6:20 he resumes the comparison of Christ to Melchisedec.

hard to be uttered--rather as Greek, "hard of interpretation to speak." Hard for me to state intelligibly to you owing to your dulness about spiritual things. Hence, instead of saying many things, he writes in comparatively few words (Heb 13:22). In the "we," Paul, as usual, includes Timothy with himself in addressing them.

ye are--Greek, "ye have become dull" (the Greek, by derivation, means hard to move): this implies that once, when first "enlightened," they were earnest and zealous, but had become dull. That the Hebrew believers AT JERUSALEM were dull in spiritual things, and legal in spirit, appears from Act 21:20-24, where James and the elders expressly say of the "thousands of Jews which believe," that "they are all zealous of the law"; this was at Paul's last visit to Jerusalem, after which this Epistle seems to have been written (see on Heb 5:12, on "for the time").

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Of whom we have many things to say - There are many things which seem strange in regard to him; many things which are hard to be understood. Paul knew that what be had to say of this man as a type of the Redeemer would excite wonder, and that many might be disposed to call it in question. He knew that in order to be understood, what he was about to say required a familiar acquaintance with the Scriptures, and a strong and elevated faith. A young convert; one who had just commenced the Christian life, could hardly expect to be able to understand it. The same thing is true now. One of the first questions which a young convert often asks, is, Who was Melchizedek? And one of the things which most uniformly perplex those who begin to study the Bible, is, the statement which is made about this remarkable man. Hard to be uttered - Rather, hard to be "interpreted," or "explained." So the Greek word means. Seeing ye are dull of hearing - That is, when they ought to have been acquainted with the higher truths of religion, they had shown that they received them slowly, and were dull of apprehension. On what particular "fact" Paul grounded this charge respecting them is unknown; nor could we know, unless we were better acquainted with the persons to whom he wrote, and their circumstances, than we now are. But he had doubtless in his eye some fact which showed that they were slow to understand the great principles of the gospel.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Of whom we have many things to say - There are many things which seem strange in regard to him; many things which are hard to be understood. Paul knew that what be had to say of this man as a type of the Redeemer would excite wonder, and that many might be disposed to call it in question. He knew that in order to be understood, what he was about to say required a familiar acquaintance with the Scriptures, and a strong and elevated faith. A young convert; one who had just commenced the Christian life, could hardly expect to be able to understand it. The same thing is true now. One of the first questions which a young convert often asks, is, Who was Melchizedek? And one of the things which most uniformly perplex those who begin to study the Bible, is, the statement which is made about this remarkable man.

Hard to be uttered - Rather, hard to be "interpreted," or "explained." So the Greek word means.

Seeing ye are dull of hearing - That is, when they ought to have been acquainted with the higher truths of religion, they had shown that they received them slowly, and were dull of apprehension. On what particular "fact" Paul grounded this charge respecting them is unknown; nor could we know, unless we were better acquainted with the persons to whom he wrote, and their circumstances, than we now are. But he had doubtless in his eye some fact which showed that they were slow to understand the great principles of the gospel.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
From this point the comparison of Christ with Melchisedec would naturally be developed; but the author digresses into a complaint of the imperfect spiritual attainment of his readers, and a remonstrance and admonition extending to the end of ch. 6. Of whom (περὶ οὗ) Rend. concerning which. Not Melchisedec, but the topic that Christ is a priest after the order of Melchisedec, a topic to which great importance is attached. Can it be imagined that the discussion of such a topic would appeal to a Gentile audience as a reason for not relapsing into paganism? We have many things to say (πολὺς ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος) Lit. the discourse is abundant unto us. We refers to the writer himself. Hard to be uttered (δυσερμήνευτος λέγειν) Lit. hard of interpretation to speak. The A.V. entirely misses the idea of interpretation. Rev. better, hard of interpretation. Δυσερμήνευτος N.T.o. olxx. oClass. Ye are dull of hearing (νωθροὶ γεγόνατε ταῖς ἀκοαῖς) Rend. ye have grown dull in your hearing. For ἀκοὴ hearing see on Ti2 4:3. The verb implies a deterioration on the hearers' part. Νωθροὶ only here and Heb 6:12. From νη not and ὠθεῖν to push. Hence slow, sluggish. Mostly in later Greek, although Plato uses it much in the same sense as here. "When they have to face study they are stupid (νωθροί) and cannot remember." Theaet. 144 B. In lxx, Pro 22:29; Sir. 4:29; 11:12. Sometimes = low, mean, obscure. So in Proverbs, but in Sirach slack, slow.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

From this point the comparison of Christ with Melchisedec would naturally be developed; but the author digresses into a complaint of the imperfect spiritual attainment of his readers, and a remonstrance and admonition extending to the end of ch. 6.

Of whom (περὶ οὗ)

Rend. concerning which. Not Melchisedec, but the topic that Christ is a priest after the order of Melchisedec, a topic to which great importance is attached. Can it be imagined that the discussion of such a topic would appeal to a Gentile audience as a reason for not relapsing into paganism?

We have many things to say (πολὺς ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος)

Lit. the discourse is abundant unto us. We refers to the writer himself.

Hard to be uttered (δυσερμήνευτος λέγειν)

Lit. hard of interpretation to speak. The A.V. entirely misses the idea of interpretation. Rev. better, hard of interpretation. Δυσερμήνευτος N.T.o. olxx. oClass.

Ye are dull of hearing (νωθροὶ γεγόνατε ταῖς ἀκοαῖς)

Rend. ye have grown dull in your hearing. For ἀκοὴ hearing see on Ti2 4:3. The verb implies a deterioration on the hearers' part. Νωθροὶ only here and Heb 6:12. From νη not and ὠθεῖν to push. Hence slow, sluggish. Mostly in later Greek, although Plato uses it much in the same sense as here. "When they have to face study they are stupid (νωθροί) and cannot remember." Theaet. 144 B. In lxx, Pro 22:29; Sir. 4:29; 11:12. Sometimes = low, mean, obscure. So in Proverbs, but in Sirach slack, slow.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Concerning whom - The apostle here begins an important digression, wherein he reproves, admonishes, and exhorts the Hebrews. We - Preachers of the gospel. Have many things to say, and hard to be explained - Though not so much from the subject - matter, as from your slothfulness in considering, and dulness in apprehending, the things of God.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

Concerning whom - The apostle here begins an important digression, wherein he reproves, admonishes, and exhorts the Hebrews. We - Preachers of the gospel. Have many things to say, and hard to be explained - Though not so much from the subject - matter, as from your slothfulness in considering, and dulness in apprehending, the things of God.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Of whom we have many things to say - The words περι οὑ, which we translate of whom, are variously applied: 1. To Melchisedec; 2. To Christ; 3. To the endless priesthood. Those who understand the place of Melchisedec, suppose that it is in reference to this that the apostle resumes the subject in the seventh chapter, where much more is said on this subject, though not very difficult of comprehension; and indeed it is not to be supposed that the Hebrews could be more capable of understanding the subject when the apostle wrote the seventh chapter than they were when, a few hours before, he had written the fifth. It is more likely, therefore, that the words are to be understood as meaning Jesus, or that endless priesthood, of which he was a little before speaking, and which is a subject that carnal Christians cannot easily comprehend. Hard to be uttered - Δυσερμηνευτος· Difficult to be interpreted, because Melchisedec was a typical person. Or if it refer to the priesthood of Christ, that is still more difficult to be explained, as it implies, not only his being constituted a priest after this typical order, but his paying down the ransom for the sins of the whole world; and his satisfying the Divine justice by this sacrifice, but also thereby opening the kingdom of heaven to all believers, and giving the whole world an entrance to the holy of holies by his blood. Dull of hearing - Νωθροι ταις ακοαις· Your souls do not keep pace with the doctrines and exhortations delivered to you. As νωθρος signifies a person who walks heavily and makes little speed, it is here elegantly applied to those who are called to the Christian race, have the road laid down plain before them, how to proceed specified, and the blessings to be obtained enumerated, and yet make no exertions to get on, but are always learning, and never able to come to the full knowledge of the truth.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

Of whom we have many things to say - The words περι οὑ, which we translate of whom, are variously applied:

1. To Melchisedec;

2. To Christ;

3. To the endless priesthood.

Those who understand the place of Melchisedec, suppose that it is in reference to this that the apostle resumes the subject in the seventh chapter, where much more is said on this subject, though not very difficult of comprehension; and indeed it is not to be supposed that the Hebrews could be more capable of understanding the subject when the apostle wrote the seventh chapter than they were when, a few hours before, he had written the fifth. It is more likely, therefore, that the words are to be understood as meaning Jesus, or that endless priesthood, of which he was a little before speaking, and which is a subject that carnal Christians cannot easily comprehend.

Hard to be uttered - Δυσερμηνευτος· Difficult to be interpreted, because Melchisedec was a typical person. Or if it refer to the priesthood of Christ, that is still more difficult to be explained, as it implies, not only his being constituted a priest after this typical order, but his paying down the ransom for the sins of the whole world; and his satisfying the Divine justice by this sacrifice, but also thereby opening the kingdom of heaven to all believers, and giving the whole world an entrance to the holy of holies by his blood.

Dull of hearing - Νωθροι ταις ακοαις· Your souls do not keep pace with the doctrines and exhortations delivered to you. As νωθρος signifies a person who walks heavily and makes little speed, it is here elegantly applied to those who are called to the Christian race, have the road laid down plain before them, how to proceed specified, and the blessings to be obtained enumerated, and yet make no exertions to get on, but are always learning, and never able to come to the full knowledge of the truth.

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